1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to a file folder identification device.
2. Description of the Related Art
File cabinets are used in many places for storage and indexing of file folders containing paper documents, among other articles. The two most common types of filing cabinets are lateral file cabinets and vertical file cabinets, each of which include one or more drawers or compartments containing the file folders. The file folders in the drawers or compartments may be hanging folders or otherwise supported by the compartment and/or other file folders within the same compartment. File folders used in either type of the filing cabinets typically include a file tab that identifies the contents of the individual file folder to a user. To access one or more files in the file cabinet, a user must open a door and/or extract a drawer to view the file tabs.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show isometric views of portions of conventional file cabinet drawers, shown as lateral file drawer D1 and vertical file drawer D2. Each of the drawers D1 and D2 include a plurality of file folders 2 having file tabs 4 attached thereto. Typically, as the drawer D1 and drawer D2 are opened by a user, the file tabs 4 are oriented in a single direction. The directional orientation of the file tabs 4 enable viewing of the file tabs 4 by a user standing or sitting at a specific position. For an optimal view point of the file tabs 4, a user may need to move to another position. For example, in the case of a drawer D2, the optimal viewpoint for identification of the file tabs 4 may be from a front of drawer D2, and in the case of drawer D1, the optimal viewpoint for identification of the file tabs 4 may be at a left or a right side of file drawer D1.
FIG. 1C is an isometric view of a conventional file folder 2 and file tab 4. Typically, the file tabs 4 are oriented generally coplanar with a plane P′ and P″ of the file folder 2 as shown in FIG. 1C. In some conventional products, the file tab 4 may be angled or bent slightly relative to the plane P′ of the file folder 2 in order to facilitate viewing of the file tab 4 from a position above the file folder 2. Although the file tabs 4 of conventional construction may be permanently or temporarily bent to angle the file tab 4 relative to planes P′ and P″, the conventional file tabs 4 typically include a fixed connection 6 that prevents adjustment of the angular orientation of the file tab 4 relative to plane P′ and/or plane P″.
Viewing of the file tabs 4 from a position other than the optimal viewpoint, as described above, may require the user to move to a better vantage point. Examples include leaning over or across the drawers D1, D2, movement of the user's head, or other repositioning of the user's body to view or identify the file tabs 4. In the case of a vertical file cabinet that may be positioned laterally relative to a desk, chair or other workstation, the user must often move each time a file tab 4 within the cabinet needs to be read.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved file tab for enhanced file folder identification.